Feis is kind of like a festival, we have it every year and they come to our school to let us try some instruments. The first day, we got to play the Borran, fiddle and some of us even got to try the harp! Some people also brought in their own instruments like the Accordion, the fiddle, the tin whistle and people who have knowledge about reading music, got to play the piano. The next time they came over, we got to play the tin whistle, piano and the fiddle. The Feis is a very fun thing to go to during the February break and lots of people take part in it.

On Monday 28th October I will have a music exam. A music exam is to test our ability to play an instrument. This is my first grade music exam. I play a French Horn. I am very scared about it. You would play 3 songs and our scales then you have an oral test.

Every year in the February break there is a 3 day workshop, which has many different instruments to learn or expand on what you already know. In the February break I went to Feis, I went to Tin whistle( that was taken by Fraser Shaw)Accordion(that was taken by Murdo) and there was Drama, that was taken by Mr Murray. We all came together at the end of the day and learn’ t a couple of songs, La Math( that was a song about LAMAS), and we were taught by Norrie from Manran. I had great fun we danced with Ray and sang with Norrie.

On Friday our last workshop, at night we put on a concert for all the parents to show what we had learn’ t in the 3 days of workshops, the tin whistle players played a Gaelic tune called Struagh nach do fhairich mi tioram air tir and The humors of Tulla. The Accordion players played Fairy Lullaby and Lovely Stornoway and Norrie’s choir sung a tune from RunRig, there was the younger kids from Feis Bheag performing with the choreography by Paula Davidson. There was many more performances. At the end of the concert we all went up onto the stage and sang our songs with Feis Bheag followed by a raffle.I really enjoyed it and will go back next year.

On Islay, people play many traditional Scottish instruments such as accordion, bagpipes, tin whistle, chanter, fiddle and voice. On Islay there is a 3 days of workshops called the Feis, where children all ages can go and learn an instrument or expand on what they can already do on their own instrument. The accordion is an instrument that has a keyboard on one side, on the other is buttons, to make a sound you need to pull in and out. Bagpipes is a bag with big pipes coming out the top, a pipe with a blow piece to make the sound and there is 8 holes to put your fingers on. A chanter is the instrument that people learn before going onto the pipes. A tin whistle is a instrument that has 6 holes and mouth piece, most people get it mixed up with a recorder. A fiddle is a mini guitar that you hold under your chin and play it with a bow. What music means to us, its fun to play, good to learn and many people enjoy listening to the music.

Stephen Baron came to the school of Port Ellen primary to tell us about Haydn a very famous composer and it was very interesting. We played games with Stephen Baron and we danced to the music and it was very fancy and I want to do it again. My favourite part was when we played instruments with him it was very noisy. And I personally think that it was a great idea that Reece(The Prince) died of old age in the acting and I was a great woodpecker. Just as I said I think that the acting was very good from everyone and so was the music, he could really play the piano. We had to listen to the music and if if it changed music we had to do our actions. Mrs Macdonald said the school piano had never been so happy!

I play the flute and Mr McDermot is my teacher. My friend Ellen plays the flute with me. Mr McDermot takes me down for flute every Friday. My favourite song to play on the flute is Hot cross buns and the Whole Thing. I really love playing the flute because it is a lovely Instrument!!!!!!!!!
I need to practice 7 days a week and not leave it to last moment on the Friday morning to be successful.

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Port Ellen Primary Learning Blog

Welcome to Our Learning Blog from Port Ellen Primary School, which aims to record and celebrate learning and achievement in our school. We are situated in a pretty fishing village on the Isle of Islay, off the West coast of Scotland. It is a lovely place to live in and learn in, and we hope you will enjoy reading our blog and maybe even leave a comment.